Safety-envelope



(No Model.)

L. P. TAYLOR.

SAFETY ENVELOPE.

No. 374,913. Patented Dec. 13, 1887.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEWIS P. TAYLOR, OF SOUTH ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR OF THREE- FOURTHS TO CHARLES S. HIGGINS AND JOHN F. OOWAN, BOTH OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

SAFETY-ENVELOPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 374,913, dated December 13, 1887.

Application filed November 23 1886. Serial No. 219,545. (No modeLl To aZZ whom it may concern,-

Be it known that I, LEWIS P. TAYLOR, a citizen of-the United States, residing at South Orange, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Safety-Envelopes; and I do hereby declare that the following specification, taken in connection with the drawings annexed to and forming part of the same, furro nishes a full and clear description of the invention, sufficient to enable those skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and. operate the same.

My invention relates to envelopes for the safe and secret custody of documents, 850., or the transmission of letters,documents, money, jewelry, &c., by express companies, through the mails, or by special carriers.

It has for its objects the construction of an improved envelope which will safely and securely hold its contents during the wear and tear of travel and prevent said contents from being examined or tampered with during transit or when laid away for safe keeping without mutilation of said envelope. These objects are attained by the construction shown in the accompanying drawings, in Which- Figurel is a plan View of the blank unfolded. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the blank folded longitudinally and with its wings folded in laterally.

Fig. 3 is asimilar view of the blank farther folded in to complete the sealingflap; and

Fig. 4 is a cross-section of the envelope when completely folded and sealed, and of the metal seal.

Referring to said drawings, A is the facepiece of the envelope. B is the back piece thereof. 0 is the re-enforcing piece thereof.

D D E E are the wings of the envelope.

F is the flap.

G andHare extensions of the wingsDand E.

a a ct a, 850., are perforations near the outer edges of the wings DEand re-enforcin g piece 0.

b b are perforations near the outer ends of 5 the extensions G and H;

c c are perforations in the body of the menforcing piece 0.

d d d d ,&e., are perforations near the outer edges of the wings D E and flap F.

e e are perforations in the body of the flap F.

Similar letters indicate corresponding parts in the several views.

The main folds necessary to the building up of the envelope are indicated upon the drawings by heavy dotted lines. The incidental folds are indicated thereon bylight dotted lines.

The blank for the envelope is cut from a single sheet of paper or other suitable material. The face-piece A and back piece, B,arc of the same size. The reenforcing piece 0 depends from the back piece, B, and the flap F rises from the faee-piece A. The wings D D E E extend on either side of the face-piece A. Back piece, B, re-enforcing piece 0, and flap F all correspond with each other in size, as do their extensions G and H. The several perforations above specified are also all of the same size.

The article to be inclosed or forwarded in the envelope is placed upon the face-piece A. The back piece, B, re-enforcing piece 0, and wings D E are then folded upon the face-piece A, flap F, and wings D E, following the horizontal dotted line as shown in the center of the blank. The extensions Gand H are folded in upon the backs of the wings D and E, and the latter are then folded in upon each other, following the diagonal dotted line y shown on said blank. Said wings D, E, D, and E are then folded in upon the back of the back piece, 13, and re-enforcing piece O, following the vertical dotted line 2 shown on said blank. The wings D and E are then folded in upon the back of the wings D and E and re-enforcing piece O, following the diagonal dotted line f shown on said blank. The upper portion of the envelope is then folded down, following the horizontal dotted line 9, bringing all the perforations in the several parts of the envelope in coincidence, and the envelope is then secured by a seal.

Any suitable seal may be used; but I prefer a metal seal,constructed upon the principle of the well-known fastening-buttons made with flat dies, the shank of one of which is forced into an opening in the other in such manner as to permanently engage and prevent separation except by destruction of the seal or button, an

example of which may be seen in Letters Patent No. 268,745, issued December 5, 1882, to

' William F. Spinney.

Safety-envelopes have been heretofore constructed with wings which meet the face and back pieces at a re-entrant angle, and having their edges and the edges of their extensions and their flap gummed, and also having a tongue which is gummed, the several parts above specified being folded and pasted together to form the envelope and close it.

My improved safetyenvelope has no scams or openings from reentrant angles, and has no parts which are gummed and pasted together. It is therefore not subject to be opened by the application of Water or steam; nor can it be opened without either mutilating or destroying the seal; or if a knife be used for opening it without mutilating the envelope. \Vhen once opened and tampered with after it is sealed, it cannot be closed and sealed without presenting unmistakable evidence of that fact.

In using my envelope there is no necessity for the employment of wax seals, and the expense incident to such scaling is avoided.

its construction is such that but one seal such as I have described is necessary for its fastening, and that seal is comparatively inexpensive.

The face of the seal may be constructed of metal capable of receiving an impression from a die, in which case it may be made to bear the name of the sending-point, date of forwarding, &c.; orit may have a surface adapted to receive a signature or stamp.

The seal which I employ and which is shown in the drawings consists of a head which has an opening, Z, through which the shank k passes and is riveted. A face or face-plate,h, is placed over the head, so to make a finish and afford a space for receiving impressions. The shank is secured upon the usual foot or back.

Having thus described my invention, its construction, and advantages, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

Asafety-envelope cut from a single sheet of material, and composed of a face-piece, A, back piece, B, re-enforcing piece 0, wings D D E E, said wings I) and E having the extensions G and H, respectively, and flap F, the same being provided with the perforations a a, &c., b I), c c, d d, &c., and c e, all arranged and adapted to operate substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

LEVIS P. TAYLOR.

\Vitnesscs:

B. E. VALENTINE, F. W. HANAFORD. 

